Part Three
The new idea


After saying in part one of this epic blog that I'd talk about all three projects I then got nervous that if I started publicly talking about this one I may feel foolish down the line if it doesn't come off. I'd also be incredibly disappointed. However, I also felt a sense of duty to share, especially with other artists, the sheer amount of time and work it takes to try and get your own project off the ground. As I want this to result in a piece of public art the people I haven't spoken to so far maybe easier to list! 


There are many times when I've been close to throwing in the towel, especially filling in the Arts Council application form. At this stage I've no idea if I can pull it off and when it either goes ahead or doesn't I'll say more about the actual idea later. 


Regardless of the outcome I know that in one month I've met more people in the right areas for future collaborative projects than I ever would of if I hadn't have stuck my neck out and spoke about what I want to do. I've found it all quite nerve racking and realised one day that if I take my foot of the gas it all stops and everything comes to a standstill. It's quite a scary thought.


So, without particularly telling you anything I've probably said enough...I should hear in the next four weeks if I have funding or not but seeing as the project is also relying on me getting a local property there's a lot riding on the owners decision, the owner just happens to be Liverpool Football Club...

Lothair Road, L4

L5

Part Two 
L5 - 6QW


As this project is so well documented I'll send you directly here to it's own pages:


http://l5-6qw.tumblr.com/


or it's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/l56qw

But, it's great it's back up, it was a brilliant day and now I'll start looking for it's third site...anybody know anyone with a hill???

This photograph was taken by a local woman out walking her dog in Gwealod-y-Garth who then uploaded it to the facebook page - this is  really rewarding as it means passers by are engaging with the work.

Grassington Festival, L5 and the new idea...


It's been a PROPER mad month and I mean proper and I mean mad! Three projects overlapping and shouting for attention so three blog entries coming up. Excited?!


Part One


Grassington Festival 2012 (15th June to 30th June) with Leeds Art Gallery


Just to re-cap, this was an opportunity I'd seen advertised way back in Feb/March time. The call was for artists to respond to a painting they selected from Leeds Art Galleries lending collection. The artist would have 6 weeks to respond and install the work at this years Grassington Festival in Yorkshire:


http://www.grassington-festival.org.uk/ 

We went up to Leeds Art Gallery and I chose a painting called Near Rothwell by Tom Whiteread - it's a beautiful landscape painting that I was drawn to initially because of its size, compared to the other work in the room, it was very small. Thinking practically I didn't want a great big painting as it's difficult to carry and easier to damage! I was being quite sensible for a change...I was also determined not to go for the 'obvious' choice, wanting to go against my own taste if you like...This was one of three I was particularly drawn to, I decided on this one because it was something that I felt was quite different from my own practice and very traditional. After spending more time with the painting I saw more and more links between it and my own work!! I loved the romantic feeling I got from this painting, I liked it's initial dark overtone but then on closer inspection reveals a warmth through the pink tones used in the sky. It was moody and I liked it. I was equally drawn to the structures in the landscape, industrial and alien which draws up obvious links to my work L5-6QW, a sculpture made from steel also set in the landscape.

Near Rothwell 1960-1970

Tom Whiteread

                           L5-6QW, 2011 (recently installed on Gwealod-y-Garth Hill in South Wales)




We spent the morning at the gallery in Leeds having free breakfast, meeting other artists and discussing the project with Bryony Pritchard, the organiser and we also met Ted Wilkins the curator. It was a really nice morning and everyone was really friendly and excited about the project. 

 Discussions at Leeds Art Gallery with the Grassington Gang

The following day we headed up to Grassington village itself in what can only be described as gale force winds and HEAVY rain, we didn't venture that much out of the car (seeing as I didn't even have a coat with me!) but did loop after loop of the village and the surrounding area which is stunning. I think the weather actually added to the dramatic feel of the landscape, it felt wild and lonesome and made me think about Heathcliff and Cathy from Wuthering Heights! It was inspiring and seemed to work perfectly with the painting I'd picked, similar landscapes, similar weather and after finding out that there wasn't much information about the artist a similar sense of romanticism and mystery, My early thoughts and doodles in the car driving back to Liverpool were all of objects and structures in the landscape, figures, people, ghosts. I felt a sense of freedom at being able to make work that has such a unique set of circumstances to respond to.

Initial thoughts and ideas...

There's less than two weeks to go until installation day and I'd say I was just over half way done, eek! The idea is to build a man from found wood that will stand alone in the landscape, he will be life sized. The title of the work will be The Man on the Hill. Big push now to get finished. We're set to stay at the village over the weekend and take part in their festivities including a parade! Really looking forward to it...